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DOWNTOWN CROWD AUGUST 2019
Editor’s Letter
Publisher Malcolm Ballinger Owners Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger
7
Executive Editor Kelly Oden Editor Will Isern Art Director Guy Stevens Graphic Designer Bara’ah Jaraiseh Editorial Assistant Kaitlyn Peacock Advertising Account Executives Paula Rode Paula@ballingerpublishing.com Geneva Strange Geneva@ballingerpublishing.com For advertising rates or news tips contact Phone: 433-1166 · Fax: 435-9174 DOWNTOWN CROWD is published by Ballinger Publishing. Offices located at 314 N Spring St., Ste. A, Pensacola Florida 32501 Published by Ballinger Publishing
WILL ISERN EDITOR I think I may have driven over the Three Mile Bridge for the last time. It didn’t occur to me coming back from the beach last weekend, but it’s likely that I won’t be headed back that way until the wise folks at the Department of Transportation move us all over onto the new span. Had I thought about it, I might have tried to commemorate the occasion somehow. Then again, I doubt my fellow drivers would have appreciated my blaring on the horn the whole way or waving a mullet out the window. Speaking of the new bridge, I’m aware that there’s been some minor controversy over what we’ll call it. Or rather, what it’s official name will be. I have no doubt we’ll go on calling it the Three Mile Bridge, but as of this writing the jury is still out on an official name.
Downtown Crowd is locally owned and operated. It is published monthly for distribution in Pensacola, Florida. All Right Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/ or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2019
The rightful frontrunner for the name is the Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Memorial Bridge. For an area so enamored of its own history, James’ legacy here has gone woefully disregarded. How many Pensacolians know that the nation’s first African-American four-star general was born and raised here? I would bet more know the story of Ted Bundy’s capture at Oscar’s Restaurant
than of James’ rise through the military at the height of segregation and the civil rights movement. If we feel so compelled to give a name to every new thing that we build, then it is only right that the largest construction project to ever take place in northwest Florida be named for one of its greatest native sons.
8
Fortunately, the quote frequently misattributed to Winston Churchill that Americans will always do the right thing once all other possibilities have been exhausted seems to be holding true in this case. Despite a number of other suggestions and pushback from the family of the former bridge's namesake, community support has rallied behind naming the bridge after James. The city of Pensacola, Santa Rosa County and a joint committee of representatives from Escambia County and the city of Gulf Breeze have already endorsed the name. The decision is ultimately up to the state legislature, which won’t convene again until January. Sen. Doug Broxson has filed a bill to make the name official. When the time comes, I look forward to commemorating my first trip over the Chappie James Bridge.
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CONTENTS
7 Cityside Seafood 8 Under Construction 11 Art with Pins & Needles 12 What A Drag 16 iQ Eatery: Smart Lunch in Warrington 17 5 Questions With Creatives: Somi Choi Cover: Terrah Card & Lauren Mitchell photographed by Guy Stevens DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 5
COMMUNITY EVENTS
ART CLASSES
Children, Teens, & Adults Pottery on the Wheel and Hand-Building - Adult 6 Week Sessions
September 7th • Pieces Adrift Silent Auction Fundraiser for FCAC’s Scholarship Program and Harmony Parks Pensacola • Free for Members / $10 Suggested Donation
Glassblowing Classes • Age 8+ Make Your Own Suncatcher, Starfish, Paperweight, Flower, or Cup! Classes offered Friday and Saturday
October 11th • Pumpkin Patch Preview Party • Tickets $20-$25
Saturday Morning Art Class • Age 6-Adult • Yoga and Art for Kids 1st Saturday • Creating with Clay 2nd & 4th Saturday • Mixed Media Exploration 3rd Saturday Art-Lab • Age 9-14 After-School Art • Age 5-8 4 Week Sessions Each Month • $80-$140 Meditation and Art • Age 18+ Classes offered: Aug. 16, Sep. 20, Oct. 18th
• Painting • Flame-working • Drawing • Stained Glass and More! Full Class Schedule - Firstcityart.org
October 12th • Pumpkin Patch Saturday Sale • No Admission November 7-8th • 3D Printsacola • Collaboration with IHMC featuring 3-D Printed skatable sculpture, and keynote speakers professional skater Rodney Mullen and Creative Scientist David Fries December 13th • Hot Glass Cold Brew Ugly Sweater Party • Tickets $20-$30
FirstCityArt.org | 850.429.1222 1060 N. Guillemard St. Pensacola, FL
SEPTEMbEr 26-28, 2019 In loving memory of John Ryan Peacock and Ashley Lauren Offerdahl To date, the PCO has raised more than $1,465,000 for local charities thanks to the amazing generosity and support of businesses and individuals like you!
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Cityside Seafood PHOTOS BY GUY STEVENS
BY WILL ISERN
It’s a bold claim posted in front of the Olde East Hill Grill for all to see: the best mullet dinner in Pensacola. Competition for that title is stiff, but despite being a recent addition to the city’s lunch scene, the new restaurant comes with the pedigree to stake a viable claim. The Olde East Hill Grill is the latest addition to a renovated Maria’s Seafood on Cervantes Street. Maria’s has long been a favorite for locals in search of fresh fish, shrimp, crab and oysters, but owners Scott and Kristin Amberson, who also own Peg Leg Pete’s and Sidelines on Pensacola Beach, wanted to bring fresh local seafood in a fast casual setting to this side of the Three Mile Bridge.
Despite virtually no advertising, word has gotten out about the little 2,300-squarefoot restaurant and lunch crowds have filled the dining room since it opened in May. The restaurant keeps some of what’s made Peg Leg Pete’s a local institution, like the Grouper Supreme Sandwich, but sets itself apart with a focus on mullet, po'boys and Cajun debris. “Sidelines has wings, Peg Leg’s has oysters, we have mullet,” said Assistant Manager Yvonne Doege. Doege said the mullet dinner served with the backbone, hushpuppies and two sides has been the big seller so far. Po'boys including grouper, oyster, shrimp, mullet, grilled Andouille sausage and roast beef are also popular lunchtime choices. Only available at Olde East Hill Grill, WeeZee’s Greens is a family
collard greens recipe from a longtime Maria’s Seafood employee that’s quickly proven to be a hit. The restaurant offers daily fresh catch specials depending on what’s brought into the market that morning. Doege said a focus on freshness and real cooking are the main ingredients that go into every dish at the Olde East Hill Grill. “We do everything fresh here,” she said. “We make our cheese grits. They are not frozen cheese grits. We make our hushpuppies. They are not frozen hushpuppies. For seafood, everything comes right next door from Maria's. So you can’t get any fresher than walking two steps next door to get your seafood” The dining room at Olde East Hill Grill seats 47 and is appointed with historic
scenes from Pensacola’s maritime past. To keep things moving, orders are taken at the counter and brought to the table straight from the kitchen. Takeout is not only welcome but encouraged. Parking and entrance are located behind the restaurant. The Olde East Hill Grill opens at 10:30 am daily Monday through Saturday and closes at 7 pm six nights a week. The restaurant closes at 6 pm on Sundays. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 7
N IO T C U R T S N O C R E UND l 2022 Downtown work will last unti BY WILL ISERN
The Gulf Power construction project that has clogged Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola in recent months is scheduled to last another three years, but work will soon shift to nighttime hours in hopes of alleviating congestion and reducing the impact to downtown businesses. Gulf Power began work to install an entirely new power grid throughout downtown in March 2018. It’s an $86 million project aimed at modernizing downtown’s aging power grid and mitigating the risk of severe power outages. With fenced off streets, noise and traffic detours, the work has created headaches for visitors and business owners in the city’s premier entertainment district, but is necessary to accommodate further growth downtown, Gulf Power representatives said. “Basically we are rebuilding and replacing our downtown network, and all of the network is underground,” Gulf Power’s regional manager for corporate external affairs Rick Byars said. “It’s been there for over 70 years, so it’s at the point where any day we could have what we call a catastrophic failure on the system and, if that were to occur, we’d lose power or would have to take any means necessary to restore power … So we’re not tearing it out, we’re building a brand new system next to the old system.” Gulf Power crews moved on to Palafox Street in March. The resulting construction noise and traffic disruption has left some downtown business frustrated. “I think the biggest thing as a business 8 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
PHOTO BY GUY STEVENS
is lunchtime is popular, and I feel like the lunch crowd that comes down, pops in stores and grabs their lunch is really missing right now because they don’t want to sit and hear noise their whole lunch,” Indigeux Denim Bar owner Katie Bosso said. In hopes of alleviating some of those frustrations, Gulf Power has agreed to shift the Palafox work to overnight hours and to avoid weekends. Beginning in early August, crews will work from 10 pm to 10 am Sunday through Wednesday. The shift comes at an additional $1 million cost to the company. Downtown stakeholders welcomed the change at a meeting with Gulf Power representatives in July.
“Right now the way it’s going at daytime, 100 percent of the retailers open hours are being adversely affected,” said downtown property owner Deborah Dunlap. “Seventy-seven percent of the restaurant hours are being adversely affected, and 44 percent of the bars are being adversely affected. When they go to this schedule, the bars will only be affected 22 percent of their open hours, the restaurants almost zero, and the retailers almost zero.” Working through the night will require crews to use floodlights to illuminate the project area and Gulf Power said construction noise could be more pronounced in the quiet of the night.
“We know we’re going to be disrupting some sleep patterns,” said Byars. The next phase of work will begin in August on Garden Street at the intersection with Palafox. Gulf Power hopes to be off the first two blocks of Palafox Street by December, said Byars. The project will move to portions of Government, Intendencia and Palafox streets in front of the Escambia County government building in 2020. Work in 2021 and 2022 is not expected to include excavation and should be less disruptive, said Gulf Power. “We’re just trying to get the worst part of it out of the way first,” Byars said.
Demystifying Cryptocurrenncy and
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Ballet Pensacola Academy Children’s Division | Ages 3-6
A syllabus-guided training to prepare students to move seamlessly into the Training Division
Training Division | Age 7+
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ART WITH
PINS & NEEDLES BY KAITLYN PEACOCK
"Designers who know how to sew are out there, we just don’t have a group. I’m trying to create that society for us."
T
ired of the drab clothes on offer at Walmart or the stores at Cordova Mall? Looking for something more from your outfits? Well, you have the ability to do that with your own two hands. Surprise! First City Art Center is offering their Pins and Needles class with instructors Melanie Elliott and Nester Taylor. According to her biography, Elliott has been employed at JoAnn Fabric Store for 14 years and has been teaching for the past 13. She is also the person who first taught Taylor how to sew. After he went to JoAnn’s to pick up some fabric, she took him under her wing and taught him everything she knew. Now, Taylor is a student at Pensacola State College and runs his own studio, Studio G, out of FCAC. He teaches the Pins and Needle class alongside Elliott. For Taylor, his garments are a way to express his art in the pattern as well as the way the fabric is put together. “I like to put my art in my clothes,” he said. “If it’s the stitching, or the way the pattern is cut, anything like that. When I sew something or do something, they can see that it’s my design. Just like when people look at these prints, they know they’re my prints without thinking about it. It’s the stitch and the art of it.” While clothing may not be someone’s first choice of art, nor what they immediately think about when they think of art, Taylor said fashion and the design that goes into his garments work with the same principles as all other art. “It’s surprising that clothing doesn’t come up when people mention art,” he said. “The reason why is probably because most of our stuff is made in China, but if you ask
Nester Taylor in his studio at First City Art Center. PHOTO BY BARA'AH JARAISEH
any tailor or someone that does pattern making or garment making, even someone who makes gowns and stuff. It has to be an art. It’s the same principle as graphic design, photography. You have to have it in your head before you put it out on paper. It’s ideas, and to make it art, it’s just taking the principle from the garments and applying what makes it beautiful to you just like the pictures that you paint. You can sit out here and paint an apple tree, but anyone is going to implement something different to that apple tree. The apple tree is the foundation of the painting. The fabric itself is the foundation of the garment. When the artist or the individual gets to it and applies scissor, needles and thread, that’s when it becomes art.” Taylor and Elliott have teamed up to help instruct Pins and Needles as a way to help people interested in their own style and fashion be able to express themselves. The class is designed to teach the very basic skills all the way up to more ad-
vanced skills, meaning anyone can enter the class and learn to make their own clothing. Taylor describes the first two classes as “boot camp,” where attendees learn the fundamental skills. The six-week course has already run once and is on its second series, with some students returning to learn even more. Returning students are given more private instruction along with a combined class where they learn more advanced techniques. While most people have to look up videos of how to do simple sewing techniques, replacing a lost button for example, this class offers a next-level experience. “There’s nothing like this around here,” Taylor said. “There’s some fabric stores that teaches sewing, but there’s nothing else. Designers who know how to sew are out there, we just don’t have a group. I’m trying to create that society for us.” The class isn’t just for people interested
strictly in typical fashion and clothing. Taylor also said the lessons can be applied for more abstract projects like designing and creating cosplay costumes. The techniques are still the same, even if the projects are a little different, and it’s all the same expression of art. “That’s a part of art, it’s fashion, it’s what interests them,” Taylor said. “They don’t have to sew a three-piece suit with a button down, if they want to sew something like a Link, Zelda, princess whatever uniform so they can express themselves, that’s the same.” Pins and Needles is currently ongoing at FCAC. The series will be offered again, so keep an eye on www.firstcityart.org for updates or for more information on the class. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 11
A HISTORY OF PENSACOLA'S GLAMOROUS QUEENS BY KAITLYN PEACOCK
Once upon a time, one of the best parties in town was held in a huge white building on Wright Street. It was a bar that took up “the entire block” and was a popular destination for anyone and everyone looking to have a good time. Inside, a stage rose up over the crowd, entertainers would host some of the most extravagant shows you could see in Pensacola. Then, three years ago, the bar closed its doors for good and the roar of the shows faded away. The bar? That was Emerald City. The entertainers who put on the best parties in town? They were the drag queens that ruled the stage. And they haven’t gone anywhere. 12 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
PHOTOS BY GUY STEVENS & BARA'AH JARAISEH
Drag queens can trace their origins back to Shakespearean times, when female actors were not allowed to perform on stage. Male actors would portray female roles where their long dresses would “drag” along the ground.
at Sluggo’s. If you’re doing something that is entertaining a crowd and you’re getting paid for it, you’re an entertainer.”
feel. Typically an introvert, when she’s on stage and performing, she has to be an extrovert. Her act and her costumes makes this a bit easier for her.
Nowadays, drag queens have taken up a slightly different role, but their roots are still in the theatrics. Although drag queens are often associated with gay culture, not all queens are gay men, and not all gay men participate in drag. 30-plus-year drag queen veteran Lauren Mitchell describes her work as just that – work. She is a career entertainer.
As entertainers, drag queens use the theatrics of their costumes, make up and acts, whether it be lip sync battles or comedy skits, to perform for an audience. Part of their act can be rooted in something deeper than just feeling a need to entertain. Just as a musician may cite a love of music as her reason for performing, drag queens can find a love of themselves and a want to express themselves in their art.
“When I’m in drag, I feel a lot more confident, and I feel like I look cooler in general,” she said. “Some of that has transitioned into my life; I’ve gotten a lot more confident in myself. It’s helped me find a little passion in my life, to be creating something, making people smile while I’m having a good time.”
“You’re on stage, you’re entertaining,” Mitchell said. “Entertainers encompass everything from street mimes to rock musicians to poetry slams down
A relative newcomer, Terrah Card has been performing professionally since 2017. She said part of the appeal of dressing in drag is how it makes her
Entertainment and art in Pensacola have always been an eclectic and thriving market. Emerald City became the heart of drag while it was open, but it certainly wasn’t the first and only place you could stop in to cheer on the lovely queens of Pensacola.
"You couldn’t
touch us on that stage." Top Left: Lauren Mitchell performing at The Cabaret Bottom Left: Terrah Card performing at Dolce & Gelato
While the drag scene in Pensacola doesn’t quite reach back to the era of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, it does have a rich history all its own. In the 1980s, Pensacola had several small gay bars. Only a few of them would host drag shows, meaning often times there were more performers than shows. Being a drag queen was more of a hobby as there wasn’t enough of a market for anyone to make a career out of doing drag, yet. In New York City, the late 1980s saw a drastic increase in the public appearance of drag queens. More and more performers rose into prominence and performances were common enough to gain significant attention. Soon enough, the national market caught onto the trend, with Pensacola being no different. Going into the early 1990s, more and
more bars began offering drag shows. A bar on Wright Street, then known as The Office, was one such place. Drag queens of all stripes enjoyed performing and the shows were popular among locals. However, Mitchell described a low point of the drag scene occurring when entertainers employed by The Office walked out of work due to mismanagement and drama within the company. The Office had been one of the main venues for drag shows, but the future of drag in Pensacola looked bleak when The Office closed its doors. In 1997, the bar would reopen one more time under a new name: Emerald City. Mitchell returned to the Wright Street bar to try her luck under the new banner. Within only a few years, Emerald City established itself as the premier place for drag shows.
- LAUREN MITCHELL
“You couldn’t touch us on that stage,” Mitchell said. “We’d have people come in from other cities and just be blown away. People from Pensacola would go somewhere and come back and say ‘Oh, we missed y’all.’ There’s some fantastic entertainers out there. But when it comes to having a full, together show, that’s a big deal.”
“It’s very much an old school cabaret,” Dye said when describing the shows at The Cabaret. “It’s a floorshow. Sometimes there’s live singers, sometimes there’s comedians. There’s a large array of acts. It’s on the floor, next to you, it’s very interactive. Emerald City was more focused on the nightlife. It was a lot of dancing, high-energy stuff.”
Although Emerald City held the crown for the largest venue for drag shows, other bars around Pensacola continued to offer shows as well. The Roundup and The Cabaret both offered drag shows with the same mentality that carried over from before Emerald City: they offered something different. Yes, they were still drag shows, but while Emerald City was all theatrics and production, the other bars offered something for different demographics. Looking for more leather in your show? You went to The Roundup. Just looking for a more casual show? Go check out The Cabaret. You want something else? Another bar likely catered to whatever your tastes might be.
At the height of its popularity, Emerald City had grown to incorporate different portions of the larger building as other businesses vacated the spots surrounding it. The huge venue attracted big crowds for its weekly Drink and Drown specials in conjunction with the drag shows, but business steadily fell on the other nights. The bar was empty for most of the remaining weekdays.
“We all worked together on different nights to offer different aspects of the LGBT culture,” Paul Dye, owner of The Cabaret bar on Jefferson Street, said. “I don’t like using that word—‘Culture.’— but that’s what we did."
In 2016, Emerald City closed its doors for good. It was a sudden closure. A soured partnership led to a dispute between the three co-owners of the bar that was unable to be resolved. The community reeled at the loss of such a fixture in the LGBT scene. A Facebook post left some with the hopeful message of “there is a possibility that we will re-open under new ownership.” This never came to pass, and Emerald City has faded to legend among the drag queens in Pensacola. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 13
"
When I’m in drag, I feel a lot more confident, and I feel like I look cooler in general. ... It’s helped me find a little passion in my life, to be creating something, making people smile while I’m having a good time."
- TERRAH CARD
While some hold out hope for another Emerald City-like venue, Dye said he finds it unlikely something will open up again. The demand isn’t there for something like Emerald City anymore. “The industry has gotten smaller. There’s no need for big, complex clubs,” he said. Having worked at Emerald City for nineteen years, Mitchell expressed her own disappointment at the loss, but has found something sweet amongst the bitter feelings. “The only thing I miss is the actual stage, and my own little personal dressing room,” Mitchell said. “But the Cabaret has been fantastic. I go in, we do our show, the crowd is respectful, they’ll move out of the way, the money is phenomenal, it’s great. I just worked at the Roundup on Sunday, that was phenomenal. Everyone is so receptive to the shows and I think it actually might be a little bit better of a thing. More girls are working because it’s not just one big venue where everyone goes to see one show. Now you’ve got shows everywhere so there’s an opportunity for everybody to work. So I think it’s actually a little better.” 14 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
Today, the drag scene has come to a rather poetic full circle. Multiple venues offer smaller shows, though the number of shows and venues has increased dramatically since the 1980s. The scene is not so much scattered as it is varied. Acceptance of the LGBT community has offered more opportunity for drag queens, and the increased demand has seen unconventional venues open to the idea of shows. Ironically, those suffering most in this era of equality, are those venues that first nurtured the fledgling drag and LGBT scene.
While Emerald City is remembered fondly, Dye, Mitchell and Card all agreed that the drag scene didn’t die with Emerald City. It simply outgrew it. The talent in Pensacola has found ways of expanding beyond what was once offered to what is possible now in the city and beyond.
“Growing up in my generation, the gay bar was your safe place,” Mitchell said. “You were safe, you felt comfortable, you could be who you are. The kids growing up now, the millennials, they don’t care. Their friends don’t care. They go everywhere. You can’t go to a bar downtown now that isn’t mixed. So now there’s no loyalty of going back to that bar that was your safe spot.”
For newcomers like Card, the growth of the drag scene has also become an opportunity for personal and professional growth. You can be an amateur and climb up to be a professional, and in fact, you’re rewarded for taking that journey.
The time of Emerald City bars has gone, but in its place, people can more easily find the show they’re most interested in. From old classic shows at The Cabaret to new shows offered at the ice cream parlor Dolce and Gelato, there is still a demand for performances, but the atmosphere has changed. The definition of a drag queen and a drag show has expanded as well. “Anyone can do drag. Drag is a platform for everyone,” Card said. “It’s better than what it was because people are more accepting and open of different things. It’s not as different anymore.”
“It’s always been alive and flourishing,” Mitchell said. “There’s always been entertainers. And the entertainers here are always known. They’re not just local. People know them across the country.”
“When you start off already at a ten, what makes people excited for performers is they want to see you grow up and progress, see how much you’ve changed in a year,” Card said. “When you’re already starting up here, okay, what else are you going to do to impress us more?” If anything is certain, it’s that drag shows will continue to change, grow and evolve. Pensacola’s queens have earned their place in the city’s eclectic art and entertainment scene and they’re here to stay.
GLITTER
CALENDAR DOLCE AND GELATO Dolce and Gelato broke onto the drag scene with style, as usual. After a fantastic opening show in June 20, they will be continuing to host drag shows about once a month. The next theme will be “Class is in Session.” Mark Your Calendars: August 24, 7 pm to 9 pm
THE VINEYARD
Enjoy a cocktail and good food along with a fantastical show. The Vineyard is hosting Drag Brunches about once a month in conjunction with their Saturday brunch specials. Check Facebook for updates on future brunches.
THE CABARET
The drag central of Pensacola, The Cabaret offers shows every Friday and Saturday, with special shows on holidays. Cabaret also brings glittering art to the streets every Gallery Night with some fabulous entertainment. Mark Your Calendars: Fridays and Saturdays, 11 pm
PLAY
This isn’t your grandmother’s bingo night, but grandma might be able to learn a thing or two from it. Play hosts Drag Queen Bingo every Wednesday night for those wanting to spice up their night. Mark Your Calendars: Wednesday, 9 pm to 10 pm
THE ROUNDUP
Who knew bingo was so popular and so much fun? The Roundup hosts Drag Bingo every Friday night to start your weekend off on the right note. Mark Your Calendars: Fridays, 6 pm to 8 pm
ADAPS, DETAIL OF “MÚSICA,” ACRYLIC ON BOARD, (2014)
RESISTANCE & CHANGE: TABLAS OF SARHUA / CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS FROM THE PERUVIAN ANDES
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Smart Lunch
in Warrington
BY LACEY MCLAUGHLIN
A new fast-casual dining concept in Pensacola is out to prove eating smart doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can be downright delicious, say the owners of iQ Eatery. 16 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
By providing a selection of clean and flavorful cafe menu items, grab n’ go meals and a weekly meal plan program, iQ Eatery caters to the busy professional who wants to make healthier choices while saving time and money. Located at 4051 Barrancas Ave in Warrington, iQ is a short drive from downtown.
Diego and honed her skills at establishments like True Food Kitchen and Stone Brewing before joining the iQ Eatery team.
Every Thursday iQ Eatery releases a new meal plan menu for customers to order by the following Sunday at midnight for next-day pick up. Most meals are under Owners Fred and 500 calories and include Denise McLaughlin nutritional informaopened the fasttion for macros such casual eatery on as fats, proteins and May 1 after noticcarbs. Unlike other ing a lack of fresh, meal plans, customdelicious options ers can order as many for military memor as few meals as bers and families in they would like starting Chef Takara Hein West Pensacola. at $7.99, dropping as low as $6.49 for orders of 21 meals or “People are becoming more healthmore. For those who are in a hurry, conscious and seeking better choiciQ Eatery offers a fully-stocked Grab es for their meals but often struggle n’ Go cooler of pre-made frozen with making the time to meal prep,” meals as well as a selection of fresh said Fred McLaughlin, who was snacks, salads and wraps. previously the vice president of land acquisition and development Starting at 8 am daily customers for two national homebuilding comcan pick up grab n’ go items and the panies and a franchise consultant. cafe is open 10:30 am to 8 pm Mon“We saw a need in the west side for day through Saturday and noon to affordable and healthy options.” 5 pm Sunday. To learn more visit iqeatery.com or call 850-549-3333. With favorites such as the plantbased Impossible Burger, Berry Bliss Salad, Lemony Pork Lentil Bowl and Gluten-free Chicken and Waffles, iQ offers a variety of fresh, healthy options that don’t compromise flavor. iQ Eatery Head Chef Takara Hein is passionate about creating vegan, paleo-friendly and gluten-free options that cater to those with specific dietary needs. Originally from San Diego, Hein attended culinary school at the Art Institute of San
Owners Fred and Denise McLaughlin
Pensacola Little Theatre Presents
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5 QUESTIONS WITH
CREATIVES So mi C h o i
BY KAITLYN PEACOCK English is not your first language, but your artwork is primarily lettering in the English language. I think that is why I like lettering. There’s so many ways you can say things in a different language. I’m a designer and I used to paint when I was a kid. For me to actually draw that and paint it, to bring more life to it, that’s how I fell in love with lettering. I haven’t actually done lettering in Korean, which I’m from Korea, so that would be an area I would like to explore in the future. It seems like there’s only so many ways to write a P, for instance, so when you tackle a project how do you decide how you will approach it? First of all, writing letters is very, very different from drawing or painting letters as an art form. If you say “writing P,” you go from serif, how a pen writes, or script, but you recognize the shape, the “P.” Let’s say I have a half circle and I put a rectangle next to it, it’s a P! So exploring the different ways makes lettering more fun. It becomes art when it makes you ask questions. So how do I find the right happy medium of lettering, which has to communicate, yet it’s intense, beautiful and intriguing. That’s the fun of the lettering projects that I enjoy. Tell me about your big, public projects. The “Call for a Wall” project, and Cubed, I really got these opportunities because of Veronique Zayas from HatchMark Studios. She and I used to just meet up after work, we’d go to wine bars or something and sketch things. We were always talking about how Pensacola is a blank canvas. The first time we collaborated was with the Cube. She had the idea of
doing a Cube that said “Pensacola” so people could own it together as a community. More so, we talked about how it’s a Cube, it’s movable, it’s a smaller part, but how can we actually bring in mural art to Pensacola. That’s how we started “Call for a Wall” last year. We always wanted to create something that the community could own together. It’s nothing about us, nothing about the business, but just about Pensacola. How do you choose your messages and words? It’s a way to have a positive impact. It’s lettering, so we want to do something happy and positive that people can enjoy together but it’s not so specific to certain things. For people drawing illustrations, you can tell there’s a mood. The mood for lettering is the words we choose. In your words, what is special about Pensacola? Pensacola is a city where you can make an impact. We are a small, but big enough city where if you wanted to do something you can do it. The “Wish You Were Here” wall project was something that we had a lot of trouble getting approved by the city and that was a hard thing, but it happened. It didn’t take anyone else, just two passionate people who got together and put it out there. I just wanted to say that to any creative or young entrepreneur around here that if you dream up something, you can do it. Take a walk to the “Wish You Were Here” wall mural on Palafox and Romana Streets. You can find more of Somi’s work on Instagram @somichoi. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 19
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iQeatery.com
4051 Unit C Barrancas Ave. Pensacola, FL 32507 Mon.-Sat.: 8am-8pm | Sun.: Noon-5pm
iQ Eatery is Pensacola’s newest restaurant offering clean, fresh, smart meal options. Order from our full menu items like Lemony Pork and Lentils, Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad, or Build Your Own Bowl – made just the way you like it. We are located only 5 minutes from Downtown Pensacola and there’s always plenty of parking. For those striving to find ways to balance a busy life and healthy eating habits, iQ Eatery also offers meal plans. We make eating SMART easy and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle with a customized meal plan made just for you. Visit iQEatery.com/meal-plans to learn more.
5 minute drive